Check-row device for corn-planters.



W. M. WEBB.

CHECK ROW DEVICE FOR C(JRN PLANTERS. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 11. m5.

1,230,353. Patented June 19, 1917.

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W. M. WEBB. CHECKIROW DEVICE FOR CORN PLANTERS.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. H, I915.

Patented June 19, 1917. Y

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CHECK-ROW DEVICE FOR CORN-PLANTERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 19, 1917.

Application filed October 11, 1915. Serial No. 55,249.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM M. WEBB, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Row Devices for Corn-Planters, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in check row devices for corn planters, it more particularly relates to means for facilitating the replacing of the check row wire in position in the guides and forked lever after the machine has been turned at the end of the row and the stake reset.

An object of the invention is to provide devices of the character referred to which may be applied to the standard check row mechanism now in use on corn planters without material alteration in the check row mechanism itself.

A further object of the invention is to provide devices for the purpose specified which will be simple in construction, easily. applied and effective in operation.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of so much of a check row mechanism of a corn planter as is necessary to illustrate my improvements, the improvements being shown applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same showing the check row mechanism in closed position, or in that position in which the check row wire is held within the guides and the forked lever in position for operation.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the devices in open position, or in that position to which they will be thrown for the purpose of discharging or inserting the wire.

Fig. 4: is a detail of certain of the parts showing the position assumed at one point in the closing operation of the same.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail showing the manner of attaching the supporting and guiding frame.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a portion of the frame of the planter to which is connected in the usual way the ordinarily upwardly extending bracket 2 of the check row mechanism, which has pivotally connected thereto in the ordinary way the swinging bracket 3. The stationary bracket 2 carries at its respective ends the guiderolls 4; and 5, while the swinging bracket 3 has at its respective ends the guide rolls 6 and 7 and the improvement which which cooperate with the rolls 1 and 5 to hold the check row wire 8 in position. The usual forked lever is represented by 9, it being pivotally connected with the head 10 which in turn is pivotally connected with the stationary bracket so as to permit the forked lever to have the usual swinging movement in a forward and rearward direction and also to swing laterally outwardly for the purpose of discharging the wire therefrom. A spring (not shown) is provided for returning the forked lever to its normal position after it has been operated by a knot on the wire and 12 represents a catch for holding the swinging bracket in closed position relatively to the stationary bracket. The check row devices thus far described are of a type which are in common and extensive use I have applied thereto will now be described.

In the operation of check row corn planters, after the wire has been discharged from the check row devices at the end of each row by releasing the catch 12 and allowing the bracket 3 and forked lever 9 to swing outwardly, it becomes necessary, following the turning of the machine and the resetting of the stake, to replace the wire. This replacing of the wire necessitates the operator going to the side of the machine and placing the wire in position between the fork of the lever and then throwing the swinging bracket to its closed position, all of which requires considerable time during a days planting. To eliminate this work, I have devised the following attachment:

Projecting laterally from the swinging bracket 3 is a U-shaped supporting frame 13, the inner ends of the side members of this frame being screwthreaded to receive the bearing sleeves 14c for the guide rollers 6 and 7, as shown in Fig. 5, and being off-set or bent as indicated at 13 so that the upper portions thereof will lie coincident with the outer periphery of the rolls. When this swinging bracket drops to open position, its downward swinging movement is limited by the contact of the extension 3 thereof with the ear 2 which forms one of the pivotal points (Fig. 1) so that the guide rolls 6 and 7 will lie in a substantially horizontal position. This brings the frame 13 to a sub stantially horizontal position likewise and this frame 13 forms a stop or rest for the forked lever 9 so that it will also assume asubstantially horizontal position. In this position of the parts, after the machine has been turned and the stake reset, the operator may, before leaving the stake, swing the check wire 8 in its proper position within the fork of the lever 9, as illustrated in Fi 1.

In order that the operator may then throw these parts back to their closed position, I have provided foot operated devices within reach of the operators seat so that the operator may assume at once his position on the seat and by a simple operation of his foot throw all the parts back to operative position, the devices being as follows: 15 represents a transversely arranged rod, the inner end of which is connected to one arm. 1(3 of a bell crank lever and the outer end ot which is extended through an aperture in the projecting portion oi? the swinging bracket and is bent downwardly as indicated at 15, the extreme outer end being provided with a hook-shaped portion 15". The other arm of the bell crank lever is connected by the link 18 with the foot lever 19 which is pivoted to the frame portion 1 of the machine in convenient reach oi the operator s foot. The bell. crank lever is pivoted on any suitable portion 1 of the frame and a spring 20 connected with the rod 15 of said lever and with some suitable portion 1 of the frame holds the rod 15 normally in the position shown in Fig. 1, in which position it will be seen that the hook-shaped portion 15 is below the plane of the support 13 and wire 8. Intermediate the main portion 15 and the bent portion 15 there is provided a sharply downwardly-inchned portion 15, the inner end of which, in the normal position of the rod 15, lies just at the entrance to the aperture through the projection 3 As a result of this construction, as the operator presses upon the foot lever, the outer end of the rod 15 will be thrown upwardly during its first movement so that the hook- Shaped portion 15" thereof will engage the wire 8. The further continued movement of the rod 15 will. then draw the wire 8 inwardly. raising the forked lever 9 to the position shown in Fig. -l and causing the wire to ride along the side members of the frame 13 and be guided onto the rolls 6 and 7. The continued movement of the rod 15 raises the swinging bracket and support 13 by the contact of the pin 21 with the portion 3 until the bracket 3 is engaged and locked by the latch 12. The operator then removes the pressure upon the foot lever and the rod 15 and associated parts will be returned to normal position by the spring 20.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a corn planter, wire guiding and discharging devices including a pivoted operating lever, means for supporting the same in a substantially horizontal position when said devices are in discharging position,

manually operated mechanism for returning said. (flevices to operative position together with means tor eng- Ljing and returning the wire to proper position in said devices.

in a corn planter, a laterally movable operating lever, laterally movable guide rolls, a support for said lever associated with said rolls, wire engaging means to place the check row wire on said rolls, and manually operated cevices for swinging said rolls and lever to operative position and for holding the wire within the forks olt the lever.

3. in a corn planter, separable guides for a wire and a pivoted operating lever associated therewith, means for supporting aid lever in a substantially horizontal position .in the separated position of said guides, and manually operated mechanism for returning said guides and lever to operative position, said mechanism including wire engaging means arranged to place the wire in proper position in said guides and lever upon the return of the same to operative position.

r. In a corn planter, a pivoted laterally swinging operating lever, a pair 01"" guides on each side of said lever, one guide of each pair being pivotally supported so as to be capable of separating from its corresponding guide for the purpose of discharging the wire, a support connected with said separable guides for supporting said lever in the separated position oi? said guides, means for holding said guides and lever in a substantially horizontal position in the separated condition 01 the same, and mechanism. under the control of the operator for returning the parts to operative position, said mechanism including means for engaging the wire and placing the same in proper position in said guides and lever.

5. In a corn planter, a stationary bracket, a laterally movable bracket pivoted to said stationary bracket, two pairs of guide rollers on the respective brackets, a pivoted operating lever between said pairs of guide rolls, a support for said lever connected with said movable bracket, a stop for said movable bracket to hold the guide rolls thereon and said lever in a substantially horizontal posi tion when separated from said main bracket, and manually operated mechanism for returning said parts to operative position in cluding wire engaging means for guiding the wire into proper position in said lever and guide rolls.

6. In a corn planter, a stationary bracket, a laterally movable bracket pivoted to said stationary bracket, two pairs of guide rolls on said brackets, a pivoted operating lever between said pairs of guide rolls, a support i'or said lever connected with said movable bracket, said support standing in line with the periphery of the rolls on said movable bracket, mechanism for returning said movable bracket and lever to operative position, and Wire engaging means associated with said mechanism arranged to throw the wire in proper position in said lever and guide rolls during the returning operation.

7. In a corn planter, wire guiding devices and a pivoted operating lever, said wire guiding devices being capable of being separated to permit the discharge of the wire therefrom, a support for said lever associated with said devices for supporting said lever in a position to receive the wire, and mechanism for returning said devices and lever to operative position comprising a rod having wire engaging means at its outer end, the end of said rod being arranged to nor mally lie below the plane of said lever tomanually operated mechanism to engage the wire to draw the same within the forks of said lever and afterward to restore the said devices to operative position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of October, 1915.

WILLIAM M. WEBB. Witness:

GHAs. I. WELoH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

